


Finds A Way.

by Thousandsmiles



Series: In Their Bones. [2]
Category: Jurassic Park (Movies), Jurassic Park - All Media Types, Jurassic World (2015)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Dinosaurs, Evolution, F/M, Gen, Isla Nubla, Jurassic World, Nightmares, Post-Jurassic World, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, back to the island, canon typical gore, so much issues, um trigger warnings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-24 12:58:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13811682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thousandsmiles/pseuds/Thousandsmiles
Summary: When they finally step foot on the island Owen expects the roar to quiet down a bit, to be sated. Instead it grows louder and Owen knows that he, he glances at Claire, they, are back home. Back to a nightmare, back to the one place in the world that they fit in anymore, like a bizarre puzzle piece that had changed somewhere in the time the box was being emptied. Back to the one of the five deaths that they have chosen.There's a roar in their bones and it's not going to go away.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park/World.
> 
> So I'm still 50/50 about putting this up but I thought I might as well go ahead and see what the response is. You will definitely need to read the first part to understand what is going on.

It isn’t safe. Owen knows this. It’s the only reason they feel at home here anymore. But not safe means not safe so he and Claire have to work out a space for them to stay. Claire’s apartment is a good bet. It’s not close to the tourist areas and well hidden from wind. It’s got good security although that might not be so very functional anymore but still it’s a good start. 

The apartment building is in pretty good shape all things told. It’s a little banged up, and very dirty, but the doors still work, and the shatterproof glass has proved it’s worth. Claire’s apartment is just how she left it albeit with a lot more dust and the things in her fridge have started to evolve new and exciting molds. 

But it’s not bad and they spend the first day, anticlimactically cleaning out the apartment and shoring up the fences around the living quarters. 

The fences too weren’t very damaged. It looked like the dinosaurs which had gotten loose hadn’t bothered to wander over here too much, which was pretty good for them. There were however some slashes in the fence and Owen thought they looked a lot like Blue’s claw marks.

He wired the slashes shut and he and Claire propped wreckage on their side of the fence to be an additional deterrent. They’d figure out how to electrify the thing later, when they figure out how to get a generator working. 

But after they cleaned up the place and got their fence in the best condition it was possible to get it to, they took a walk down the boulevard.

It was still in ruins, not much having been done in those last days save for getting people off the island. Small rodents seemed to have taken off with everything edible and even a few stuffed toys if Owen was any judge. 

Claire was taking it harder than he was though. This was where she’d worked, the heart of her operation. She’d put her life into this job, had spent so much of her time and energy making sure this very thing would never come to pass and here it was, staring her in the face. 

Owen reached out and took her hand. She squeezed back tightly as they wandered the ruins, observing their island, both the place it was and the place it is now. 

When they come back down main street they make their way over to the mosasaurus enclosure. Surprisingly the mosa is still alive. She would have had the I-rex to eat for awhile but even so, for a creature of her size it would not have lasted particularly long. Without the crew to feed her, Owen had supposed that she might very well be dead. He had underestimated the Mosa again it seemed.

“Look there,” said Claire pointing.

Owen looked and finally noticed the cracks in retaining wall around the sea gate. The mosa’s enclosure was connected to the sea by a channel that was too small for the mosa to escape but allowed the ocean’s water to fill the enclosure. Usually the gate had to be raised for the water to come in and filters prevented anything else from coming in. The Mosa had simply knocked open the gate, and destroyed the filters so that the ocean water could come in freely and bring with it a healthy amount of fish. 

“Good girl,” he said approvingly. The mosa had saved their lives. Owen would rather she lived. 

“The wall around the gate is weakened though,” Claire said, “She might break out one day.”

“But it is not this day!” Owen claimed in a good approximation of Aragon. Claire not being a fan didn’t get the reference. Owen sags. What's the world coming to when you can't make Lord of the Rings references on an island full of dinosaurs? 

Claire threads her arm through his and he pulls her tight against him. 

“This is home,” and she sounds like she isn't sure if it’s a question or a statement. 

“This is home,” he agrees. “Our life on the knife edge of death.” There's silence as they look out over the lagoon. 

Then Claire says, “You really shouldn't  try to be poetic.”

Owen laughs. 

* * *

 

Rexy Sue’s roar has Owen sitting up in bed like he's been shot. Claire turns her head from where she's keeping watch but doesn't say anything else. Her arms are wrapped around herself and she shaking though. 

Owen knows that she is intimately aware of what it’s like to be hunted by the tyrannosaur and that she’ll always be haunted by it. He gets up and wraps an arm around Claire. She shakes in his hold and swallows hard but she keeps her gaze on the outside, still keeping up the watch. Slowly the shaking subsides and Owen moves to sit on the ground under the window seat. He leans against the wall and sighs. 

“Sleep,” Claire says. Her voice is hoarse. “I’ll wake you in an hour.” Owen nods and tries to sleep. He doesn’t manage to until the T-rex roars again. Then he slips into sleep with his heart rabbiting in his chest. 

Owen wakes when Claire pushes her fingers through his hair. He tilts his head and looks up at her. 

“Your watch,” she murmurs and he nods. He gets up and presses a kiss to her temple. She hugs him hard and shifts of the window seat and collapses into the bed. Owen curls up on the window seat and leans his head on the glass. Trumpeting from the brachiosaurs echo in the distance and wild beasts scream in the night. It’s peaceful and that’s frightening. 

Sunlight streaks the island like smoke trails left from shots fired. Holes are pierced through the mist that blankets the island and eventually the swirling gray wraiths are vanquished. 

It’s like everything died in the night and are waiting to see if they can come back to life, so thick is the silence. Then there is a cry that’s so alien and so right and the wildlife bursts into being. Owen’s throat is tight with some emotion he can’t name. He’s rooted here. There’s a roar in his bones and silence under his skin. His eyes are burning and his tongue keeps licking across his lips as if in search for a hint of copper. 

He goes to wake Claire but she sits up in bed before he can reach her, eyes wild but ready. The forest is behind her eyes when she looks at him. The forest is beyond her eyes, lying right outside their window. 

“Come run with me,” he says and she nods. They pull on sneakers and sling guns over their shoulders and then they’re outside the building, outside the fences. Owen takes a breath and plunges forward. He doesn’t try to be quiet, doesn’t try to pace himself, just runs like he can either outrun this feeling or absorb more of it. 

Claire keeps pace with him as they sprint through the park, heading to the boardwalk and running on the outskirts of the mosa’s enclosure. 

Compy’s scatter in front of them, there is a barking cry and the squawks of sea birds but they keep running. They run until their bones are vibrating so hard they’re shaking. Claire doubles over and gasps for air. Owen copies her and together they breathe in the damp cool air of the forest. 

Thick rumbling comes through the leaves and a bugle cry echoes from somewhere. Claire straightens up and says,

“Breakfast?”

Owen stomach growls. “Yep,” he says. “Definitely.” Claire laughs. 

They run all the way back to Claire's apartment and Owen feels okay for the first time in months. 

* * *

  
  


A carnitor almost eats Owen in the first week. He escapes barely, and only because he managed to stab a rusting piece of metal into its mouth. He runs while it screams and grabs Claire who is heading towards him and they both run away. 

Owen waits for the shaking when they are safely inside Claire’s apartment and it doesn’t disappoint. Claire throws up in the toilet while Owen shakes and swallows bile. But when she crawls out and collapses next to him and they both just breathe, Owen realises that he’s okay. He’s scared to death, knows he’s going to have nightmares tonight but he’s okay. There’s no ripping,tearing pain and panic inside him. The heaviness in his chest is gone. 

He’s broken and he can’t be fixed.

He locks eyes with Claire and she smiles tremulous and sad at him but she’s also amused. 

They’re both broken and they’ll never be fixed. 

But some things are meant to be broken and some things should not be fixed. The forest shimmers in her eyes and reflects the one in his. 

“We’re screwed,” she announces and Owen laughs. 

“Sweetheart, so, so much,” he agrees. He holds out a hand to her, “Wanna go enjoy it with me?”

“Why Owen Grady,” Claire says, “I’d love nothing more. Just don’t show up in board shorts.”

Owen gives her a mock offended look and opens his mouth to say something but she cuts him off, pressing her lips to his. Whatever he was going to say never come out as he kisses her back. It’s short but full of emotion and when it’s over they rest their foreheads together. They don’t need to say anything, they both know that they’re tied together, both know that they’re sticking with each other throughout the rest of this mess that is their lives. 

A roar sounds out, reverberating around the island and Owen’s spirit replies. When he looks at Claire he knows she too has answered the cry. For better or for worse, this home. 

There’s a roar in their bones and it’s never going to go away.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zach and Gray.

It starts small because they’re kids and they’re resilient as hell. But they’re also kids and they’re malleable as hell too, enough if they have enough stubborn to fill ten other kids and are smart enough to sail through an Ivy League college. 

Gray reads. He reads and absorbs information so fast it’s like he’s inhaling it. It’s nothing new but what is, is the intensity that he does it with. 

Zach starts swinging a baseball bat around in the backyard and he strives for perfection with each strike. Both of them ignore their parent’s forced politeness, ignores the divorce. It hurts them but they’re beyond the stage where it can shut them down. 

Gray eats well, cuts out his  myriad of junk food and Zach starts a diet fit for an athlete.

Gray asks for a survival wilderness book and Zach asks for a knife and compass the next time their father offers to buy him something to make up for the divorce. 

Gray starts walking the five miles to school and Zach still smiles at pretty girls but doesn’t pay them any attention beyond that. Zach parkours through the suburbs and learns how to drive a motorbike. Gray uses the little park a couple blocks down to learn how to move around obstacles, to know to become faster and stronger. When Karen suggests they go out for ice-cream one day, they both decline. 

Karen mutes the news of the park whenever it shows on TV but Zach uses his laptop and watches whatever footage he can find obsessively. Gray sneaks down in the middle of the night and watches all the news he can find. Neither of them speak much to each other through they’re always aware when the other is in the room. They speak to their parents, to anyone else, enough that their silence goes unnoticed most of the time. But that silence is probably the reason why it took them so long to realize what was going on with the other. 

They simultaneously figure it out  when Zach runs past Gray’s park, parkouring across the bench and then looks up to see Gray staring at him from where he was contorted on the jungle gym. Zach stares back before slowly approaching his brother. Gray drops from the gym from a height that makes his brother fight to keep a sound of protest from leaving his through. Gray lands safely and walks up to Zach. 

They both stop a foot apart, eyes locked with the other from under their respective hoodies. After a moment they push their hoods back and Zach says almost desperately, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Gray retorts glaring at him. They glare at each other before grins simultaneously break out and Zach stoops and hugs his little brother tightly. 

“Tell me everything,” he says and Gray replies:

“Only if you do.”

* * *

 

They spend hours on the park bench talking until they’re both hoarse, comparing notes, comparing trauma, comparing, just how different they were now. But when they’re done, they realize they’ve never been this alike. 

“So what now?” asks Gray. He’s the smart one but Zach is older. 

“I don’t know,” said Zach. 

“You’re lying,” Gray says and for the first time that day he sounds like he’s on the verge of tears. 

“I know,” Zach says, voice thick. “I’m sorry.”

“What do we do?” Gray asks again and he sounds defeated. 

“Go back,” Zach says. “I can’t, we can’t, function here anymore. You’re failing school. I’m passing school but failing human interaction. Neither of us can quite care about our parents’ divorce the way we should. I’m jumping at shadows and I’m jumping to them. You’re having nightmares every night which you purposefully feed with news clips. And neither of us can sit still anymore.” Zach looks around the suburbs and says frustrated, “None of this,” he indicates their surroundings, “We can’t live here anymore, it’s, it’s…”

“Stifling,” says Gray, “Something's missing.”

“Yeah,” Zach concedes.

“Do you think Claire and Owen feel like this too?”

“I don’t know,” Zach says. “Maybe we can ask them.”

* * *

 

When they ask their mom to call Claire since they weren’t getting through with her cell phone Karen says that Claire had finally taken a vacation and given them a sat phone that Claire had left for Karen in case of emergencies. They look at each other and they just know. 

* * *

 

The sat phone rings in their second week on the island. 

“I can’t believe you left us!” Gray shrieks at them. 

“Gray…” Claire tries to console him. 

“No, you  actually left us Aunt Claire,” Zach says. “You too Owen.”

“Zach,” Owen says, “We’re not…” He doesn’t get any further. 

“We know you’re on the stupid island,” the teenager breaks in. “And you left us behind.”

“Zach it’s not safe here,” Claire says.

“We know that!” Gray says. “But we have to come. Isn’t that why you went back, because you had to?”

“Gray,” Claire says, “It’s complicated.”

“Yeah we know complicated,” Zach says. “Complicated is looking out every damn window and expecting to see a forest. Complicated is not hating the fact that it happens while simultaneously hating it so much you feel sick.”

“Complicated is needing to see it,” Gray adds softly. 

Owen and Claire give each other despairing and heartbroken looks. 

There’s a roar in the kids bones, and Owen bets that it won’t ever go away. 

“Guys,” says Claire, “You can’t just drop everything like us.”

“I’ll be eighteen soon,” Zach says even though he’s not even seventeen.

“But I won’t!” Gray says in protest. 

“Guys, you can’t come out here,” Owen says, “I’m not saying never.” He pauses and adds, “I doubt we can keep you away. I’m not even sure if we should. But you’re young. Take the time, before you’re adults to learn things. It won’t be easy.”

“But…!” Gray starts.

“Your parents will come out here,” Claire says. “Do you really want that?”

There is a pause and then Zach says, “We’ll wait but you keep in touch with us okay? We…” he breaks off and manages to start again. “We need you to.”

“Of course,” Claire says. “Of course.”

“We love you,” Owen adds, startling them all including himself. “Take care okay? We’ll call everyday.”

“Yeah,” the boys say and then they hang up. 

Claire puts the phone down, looks at Owen and bursts into tears. He folds her into his arms and she cries and cries and cries. 

“Shh,” he says and tries not to notice how shaky his voice was. 

“I didn’t want this for them,” she tells him. “I didn’t want this for them.Owen…”

“I know,” he says. “Oh Claire I know.”He hugs her tighter and she clings back to him. 

“What are we going to do?” she asks after a moment, pulling back.

“We’re going to get them through this,” he says firmly. He looks her in the eyes. “We’re going to get them through this. We’re going to make something of this island so when they get here we can give them more than what we have.” 

Claire nods jerkily and Owen knows that now that he’s given her a plan her mind will be working with a vengeance. 

“And we’ll call them every day,” she says, “Remind them they’re not alone.” She pauses and then adds softly, “And let them hear the island.”

“Yeah,” Owen says softly. He pulls her to him and in the distance the brachiosaurs trumpet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think please!! I'd really love the feedback guys.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yay so a third chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all have been enjoying this one. I'm still very unsure about this one and your comments will be very appreciated.

Amenities. They have to secure all the basic amenities for this to be an extended stay. They already have shelter but they need to have a safe, sure supply of water and a replenishing supply of food.

They have partial power in areas and the water system is still functionable because they’ve been using the dregs left in the pipes sparingly. They go hunting for a generator. They find it, ironically, in the innovation center. There’s actual paper manuals stored in a place Owen would have guessed to look but Claire knows this place well, and then they’re heading off to the water filtration system. 

It’s scary, the amenities building is dark and filled with twists and turns and they slowly search each inch of the place before they let their guard down. As far  they can tell, nothing has damaged any of the wiring and since the place had in fact been shut, the weather hasn’t had that much of an effect. Claire shrieks when cockroaches scuttle past and once Owen jumps when a wasp of some sort bumps straight into his nose but that’s the only opposition they find. 

They scour the place and find the generator and the backup. It’s cleary being run by the back up but not because the primary isn’t working but because it’s been shut off. Makes sense. They would have shut of everything with the evacuations. 

Owen cocks his head at the set up and says, “Is the backup generator solar powered?”

“I…” Claire pauses and then says slowly, “It might have been, yes. Masrani preferred things to be environmentally friendly but solar power wouldn’t have run a facility as big as this on a normal basis. But for the back-up? I wouldn’t be surprised if he splurged on it. After all it’d only have to run as long as it took to fix the primary and we always had techs on hand.”

“Well,” says Owen, “Lets see if we can get this out of ‘sleep mode.’ Claire rolls her eyes but they set to work pouring over settings and the instruction manuals. Finding a solar powered generator was a stroke of luck. It definitely gave them a bit of independence, being renewable energy and all that. 

It actually takes two days of hard work to get everything in working order. One day for figuring out settings that seem foreign to both of them and then another to clear of the solar panels on the roof. But when they finally turn all the right dials, the system comes to life, whirring and beeping and the island has proper water again. 

The good thing about the island is that it actually has two systems for water, a filtration system which taps from the island’s natural water table and a desalination system which pulls from the ocean. For now the filtration system takes less power but they’re both relieved that they have another system to fall back on. 

“Okay,” says Claire when they’re sure that the water plant is working correctly. “Now if memory serves and I’m sure it does, Masrani had a small geothermal plant built on close to the volcano. It was a safety measure because he, and I, always thought redundancies with security measures was important.”

“Energy in case the typical generators fell,” Owen said. “To provide for the fences.” Claire nodded. 

“But it’s through the forest and…”

“The forest is pretty dangerous right now,” he says, grinning. “We don’t actually need any more electricity than the normal generators can provide through,” he says thoughtfully. 

“I know,” says Claire, “But I want to keep the system is good shape in case we ever do need it.”

Ever since Zach and Gray had called, they’d both been filled with a new urgency. It wasn’t just their lives they needed to worry about, as short as they may be, they had to worry about the kids’ now. Because like it or not, Zach and Gray were going to end up here. They were coming to island in a few years or even a few months since Owen wouldn’t put anything past them.

“That’s true,” he said but he hesitated because he knew that inside the forest in that direction Blue lurked. The T-rex also lurked there along with whatever other carnivores had survived the equalization of the island. 

Claire sat abruptly on a chair and pressed the heel of her hands to her eyes. “Owen…”

“What?” he says frowning. 

“I just, with Zach and Gray…”

“I know,” he says gently. 

“It’s not that,” she said. She looked up at him. “We thought we were the only ones and we weren’t. What if they aren’t either? What if more people are coming?”

“Not a lot of people went through what we did,” Owen says but his mind is working furiously now. 

“They don’t have to,” Claire says and Owen knows she’s right. There could be other people with a roar in their bones. 

“That’s why we need to make sure the geothermal plant is working,” he says. “To provide for more numbers, if we have to.”

Clare swallows and nods. “I may not live long, Owen Grady, but I’d like to live as long as possible. I want a long, healthy life for my nephews. As long and healthy as we can get in a place like this.”

Owen puts his hand on her shoulder and squeezes and she covers his hand with one of her own. “Alright,” he says, “We’ll check the plant.”

* * *

 

“Hey Aunt Claire,” says Gray when she calls them that night.

“Hey Gray,” she says warmly, the sound of her nephew’s voice never failing to bring a smile on her face. 

“Hey Owen,” Gray chirps next. 

“Heya Gray,” says Owen. 

“Where's Zach?” Claire asks.

“Here,” Zach says. 

“He has homework,” says Gray, “He’s doing it on my floor.”

“Harsh,” Owen commiserates and Zach chuckles. 

“How’s it going?”

“Interesting,” Owen said. 

“Dirty,” said Claire and Owen laughs. “But hey we got the water back.”

“Cool!” says Gray.

“That’s great!” says Zach. He sounds like he’s speaking around a pencil. 

“So how are you two?” Claire asks. 

“Good!” says Gray, “I’m working on reducing the time it takes me to get to school,” he said. 

“I’ve been shifting through chat rooms,” Zach says, in apparent non-sequitur. “For the victims of the park incident.”

Claire and Owen look at each other startled. “What for?” Claire asks.

“For people like us,” Zach says, leaving them both in mild shock. 

“Are…” Claire has to clear her throat, “Did you find anyone?”

“I’m not sure,” he says, “All the possible people, well, they don’t talk much. It’s just little snippets, and mostly their actual experience, not, not anything else.”

“That’s...that was really brilliant,” Claire says, “I’d have never thought of chat rooms.”

“That’s because you don’t have a social life,” Zach teases good-naturedly causing Owen to burst out in laughter while Claire protests. 

“But you guys are okay right?” Gray demands and Owen reassures him that they’re safe. They talk a little bit more before just lapsing into silence and letting the sound of the island filter over the sat phone. When the boys have drunk their fill they all say their goodbyes and hang up. 

Claire slumps when the connection breaks. “I can’t believe how much I miss them,” she admits. 

“I can’t believe how much I miss them,” Owen tells her. He sits next to her her and she leans against him while he rests back his head on top of hers. They soak up each other’s company and comfort for a while before Claire laughs and says, “Now I’m going to have my first real shower since we came back and Owen laughs and releases her.

“Sure, just don’t hog all the hot water!”

* * *

  
  


They rig the generator they found in the innovation center to the fence outside of Claire's apartment. They don’t really need lights in the apartment itself and they did bring flashlights and candles with them so they’re ok. 

“Food,” Owen says thoughtfully when they get of the phone with the boys the next evening. “There’s stores in the stock rooms,” Claire says. “They were always locked tightly but…”

“I guess that’s our next stop then,” Owen says and Claire nods. She yawns and stretches and Owen says, “Let me take the first shift tonight.”

She pauses midway into her stretch and says, “Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Owen waves it off. “I don’t mind really. If you don’t.”

He knows that she sleeps better if she knows she doesn’t have to wake up in the middle of the night for the watch. 

“Yeah,” she says finally. “I’m really tired today.”

Owen pulls her to him and presses a kiss on to her temple. “Go get some rest then,” he murmurs against her skin. 

She smiles and leans her head on her shoulder. “Don’t let me sleep all night okay Owen?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he grumps and she laughs, kisses him on the cheek and collapses on the bed because she really is that tired. She’s hasn’t been this at peace in months. 

* * *

 

In the end Zach decides to go with something blatant but still subtle. He posts a new thread in a forum set up for the park victims to share their story. He titles it simply, ‘Need to go back’. Those who aren’t like them will think he’s after some closure and if they ask, that’s what he’ll tell them. Those who are like them though, they’ll know what it means. He leaves the thread open and waits to see what happens. 

* * *

 

Barry calls them while they’re in the middle of trying to navigate their way safely to the stock rooms. Claire hurriedly answers the phone and Barry says in confusion, “Claire?”

“Barry?!” she says in equal confusion and then hurriedly runs to hide in a building before any carnivore finds them out in the open. 

“What are…” Barry pauses and then says deliberately, “Where are you?”

“Um,” she says. 

“Where’s owen?” Claire passes the phone to Owen and gives him a grimace. 

“Barry,” Owen greets him. 

“You’re on the island,” Barry says flatly. “That’s where you two disappeared to.”

“Yes,” Owen says. “You gonna say anything about it?”

“You’re crazy!” Barry says. 

“I’m not gonna argue,” Owen says. “Why did you call?”

“Because people are starting to wonder where you are,” Barry said, “And I mean corporate people. Masrani Global. Ingen.”

“They can wonder as much as they like,” Owen says. “We’ve quit and we’ve finished all our business with the lawyers. As far as anyone knows we took of to the Maldives for a much needed vacation.”

Barry sighed. “Other people are wondering,” he admits. 

“I don’t care,” Owen tells him.

“Not corporation,” Barry says. “Normal people. People who used to work at the park.” There’s another silence and then Barry says, “You mightn’t be the only ones who wanted to go back.”

Owen freezes and then looks at Claire and said carefully, “Barry. This life isn’t for anyone. This isn’t just something to do on a whim okay? This shit is hard and, and unless you have to be here, you shouldn’t come. You won’t make it. Hell even if you have to come, you still mightn’t make it.”

Barry takes this all in and then says. “I’ll tell them what you said.”

Owen sighs. “Okay. Okay. But give us a heads up alright?”

“Will do,” Barry says. “Owen...take care of yourself okay? You and Claire.”

“Will do,” Owen echoes. THe line cuts off and he stares at the phone for a moment. Calure hugs onto his arm reassuringly. 

“We mightn’t be alone,” he says. “Others might be coming.”

“From where?” Claire asks. 

“Workers. From the park. Other employees.”

“Makes sense,” Claire said, “They’ve been in this far as long as we have.”

“Should we let them come?” Owen asks. 

“Could we stop them?” Claire asks. “Owen. I’m the last person to advocate this and I’m not. But if they need to get here, they’ll find a way. What is it Dr. Malcom used to say? Life finds a way? This life, it’ll find a way.”

Owen sighs. “It’s just…”

Claire sighs too. “I know,” she says. “Not everyone who comes here will live,’” she whispers. “And Owen I’m terrified of that. I, I remember sitting in the shelter waiting for the ferry to come and there was so many people who were wounded. It was horrible. What happens if something happens here? We have no doctors, no way to get them to a doctor. We’re going to lose people we could have saved. I’m petrified. But we can’t stop them. Not unless we blow this whole damn place to smithereens.” 

“I wish we could,” said Owen, resting his forehead on hers. “I wish that would actually work.”

They both know it won’t. They’ll all go down with the island. There’s a roar in their bones and it’s never going to go away. 

“Come on,” she says after a moment. “Let’s go find food.”

He laughs. “Yeah, okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a nice day/night!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops! I know it's been a long time. My bad. Hope you guys enjoy though!!!

The stock rooms are tightly sealed just like Claire said they would be. But they’re locked with a key card. Claire and Owen blink at it.

“Did you bring your card?” He asks Claire. 

“Um….” She says. “Wait. Wait. Yes. But it’s back at my apartment.” Owen groans. 

“It’s okay though,” Claire says. “There’s an override code.” The keycard reader is also attached to a number pad. 

“Do you know the code?” 

“Yes,” says Claire. “If I can remember it.”

“You remember everything,” Owen says. 

“There are actually a lot of codes,” Claire says but after a moment of hesitation she taps in a series of numbers. There’s a little beep, the override code is accepted and the door releases with a pressurised hiss. 

“Told ya,” Owen said cheekily. “She’s beautiful and smart.”

“Always,” Claire tells him, poking him in his chest. He laughs and together they heave open the heavy door.

The stock rooms was one of the few places that also had a backup generator running. Unlike the water, it wasn’t solar powered but gas run. There were large tanks of the stuff though and a system of automatically switching from tank to tank which was why the generator was still running after all this time. 

Owen and Claire locked the door firmly behind them and went exploring. They found the canned food first. Enough for a small army, they were helpfully untouched and to their luck, most of the expiry dates were all pretty far off. They took a quick inventory and moved on. They found the walk in refrigerators next. There were two, one for produce and another for meat. The first featured packs of frozen vegetables and even fries and waffles. The second held mostly chicken, frozen to an inch of its life. 

Once more they took inventory, faster this time since they were both turning blue and then closed back the refrigerators. 

“We were lucky,” Owen said. “If the gas lasts we should have food for a year if not two, maybe even  three if we stretch the cans.”

“Masrani wanted to have enough food in case something happened to the shipping routes,” Claire answered, teeth still chattering a little. “We had to prepare for the typical number of guests and employees for three months.”

“Well that’s good,” Owen said. “What else does this place have?”

Plenty it turned out. There were matches, clothes, ammunition and guns in a locked loacker, drinking water, soap and even hotplates and styrofoam utensils.

“Well we’re set for sometime,” Owen says as they rested for lunch. “Should give us some time to get our feet under us.”

Claire drank some water a nodded. “But how do we do that?”

“Work,” Owen says. “A lot of work sweetheart.”

* * *

 

Some people are kind about it. They do talk to Zach about closure and how sometimes people need to see things for themselves to believe it’s over. Some asks if he’s got a relative who get left behind, a kind euphemism for saying the body didn’t get retrieved. Others though are harsh. 

‘Why would you want to go back?’

‘How can you say that?’ 

‘I still have nightmares about that place. Are you even human?’ 

One asks him is he’s a masochist. 

Zach ignored the unkind ones and responds appropriately to the gentle ones. 

It takes three days before he finally gets a reply that he was looking for. It’s literally one word, ‘Yeah.” in response to the title of his thread. But he can feel the weight behind the word, feel the depth of emotion caged in those four letters. 

He replies back with one word. ‘Yeah,’ and a link to private thread. 

In the private thread he posts a set of coordinates. The coordinates for Isla Nublar. The person who replied before simply replies,

“What time?”

Zach sends back, “Adults only, waiting for camping group.”

“Okay,” the nameless, faceless person sends back but Zach can feel an invisible thread tying them together. There’s the same roar in their bones, even though they’re miles apart.

* * *

 

“We’re set for food,” Owen tells the boys when they call them that evening. “The only problem is getting to it on a regular basis.”

“Is it very dangerous?” Gray asks. 

“Not very,” Claire said. “But more risky that we’d like.”

“What about moving some of the food closer?” Zach asks.

“We’re working on it,” Owen says. “There are mini refrigerators here. We can fill em up with stuff. That’ll limit our supply runs.”

“The food won’t last forever though,” says Gray. 

“No it won’t,” said Owen, “But I’ve got some ideas for that.”

“I got a reply online,” Zach says. 

“What?” says Claire. 

“I posted in a support forum,” Zach explains. “I think I found someone like us. I think...I think we have to create a ‘camping group.’ I told them I would. Adults only though.”

“Are you sure?” Claire asked. “Are you sure they’re like us?”

“Yeah,” Zach says. He tells them about the reply and there’s silence for a moment. 

“Okay,” Owen says. “Fair enough. We’ll see what we can do on our end.” Claire gives him a look but he makes a motion and she reluctantly keeps quiet.

“Thanks,” Zach says and then the conversation turns to simpler things. 

When the boys finally hang up, Claire looks at him. 

“Safety,” he says. “We have to be here, and it’s here we feel okay because it isn’t safe but...there’s a line you know.”

“I know,” she says. She sighs. “Make a safe way for them to get here.”

“You said it yourself,” he replied. “Life finds a way. This life will find a way.”

“I know,” she sighed. “I just wish it was just us. That it didn’t touch so many people.”

“Me too,” he says. They’re all gonna die and it’s probably not going to be of old age. But there’s a roar in their bones and it’s never going away. There’s a roar in their bones and the longer he stays here, Owen’s becoming less sure he wants it to go away. 

* * *

 

Nearly a week later Zach gets another reply. This one is a little more wordy.

“I want to go back home. I can’t seem to find it anymore. It’s not where I thought it was.”

Zach sends them the link to the private thread. That reply gets more flack and some recommendations for a therapist. The person replies to kind suggestions saying that they have seen a therapist. They just can’t make them understand what they're saying. 

Zach understands. How do you fix what’s meant to stay broken?

“Anything?” Gray props up on his shoulder staring at his laptop. 

“One more,” Zach says. Gray offers him a bite of the apple he’s munching on. Zach crunches of a bite and hands it back to his little brother. 

They both stare at the thread and then another reply comes up.

“It’s loud there...” It’s all they say but it’s all this nameless person needs to say. Gray and Zach look at each other and then Zach sends them the link to the private thread. 

“It’s too quiet here,” he sends to the person. 

“Yeah,” they say. Then… “Any progress on the camping group mentioned?”

“It’s coming along,” Zach sends back. 

“Aunt Claire and Owen better get prepared for visitors,” Gray says, 

“Nah,” Zach replies. “For neighbours.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy!!!

 

Owen and Claire are running along the docks when they spot the boat. It’s not large, in fact Owen thinks it’s downright risky to have made the crossing in a boat that size but it’s coming towards the docks at full speed and it’s one occupant seems pretty comfortable in handling it. 

Owen and Claire sling their guns to the front of them and wait for the boat to arrive. 

The boat slows as it approaches the docks and then finally eases up to a pier. The occupant jumps out easily and secures the boat to the pier. Only then does she look up at the the e=two of them. She grins and says:

“Grady. I should have known.” She turns her attention to Claire. “Have to say ma’am I didn’t expect you to be here.”

“And who are you exactly?” Owen asks. 

“Michelle Tarver,” the woman introduces herself. “Ex-ACU.”

“What are you doing here?” Claire says. 

Michelle smiles a little sadly, a little bit with a roar peeking out her eyes, at them both. “The same thing I expect you two are doing,” she replies. “Trying to survive without opening up my skin with my fingernails.”

Claire and Owen glance at each other and then lower their guns a little. Michelle smiles a little at them and raises her hands.

“I’m not a spy,” she says, “Really. I’m just here because I don’t think I can live anywhere else. Which is shit because I’m more likely to die here and than anywhere and I spend half my time being freaking scared but if I’m not...well...I feel weird.”

Claire and Owen glance at each other again and then drop their guns entirely. 

“It’s not going to be easy here,” Owen says.

“No shit Grady,” Michelle says. “But now that I’m here, it’s like I want to live. No. That’s wrong. It’s like I can live.”

“Yes,” Claire says quietly. “That’s how it is.” The she squares her shoulders and says, “Okay Ms. Tarver, welcome to Isla Nublar. Again. Come on, you’ve got the pick of the apartments.”

 

It takes all three of them to carry the supplies the Michelle had brought with her and it take two trips. She’s brought a whole lot of food, a stash of weapons Owen’s pretty sure she shouldn’t have and a lot of ammunition. But she’s also grabbed a whole shelf of first aid kits, complete with splints and medication that is not over the counter. She rounds it out with sleeping bags, camping equipment and shock blankets. The last thing she has is a metal briefcase. When they're safely ensconced in the apartments, she cracked it open to show seeds and shoots. Things they can grow to eat. Owen blinks and thinks about hugging her. 

 

“I figured we might be able to rig the electricity here so I brought my kindl,” Michelle told them. 

“I love you,” Claire says involuntarily and Owen laughs. 

For the first time since they’ve stepped on the island he feels, hope. They’re going to be okay, for however long they’re alive here, they’ll be okay. 

* * *

 

“So we have a couple of meeting places,” Zach tells them on the phone that night. “But we kinda need a way to the island.”

“I have a way to the island.” Michelle offers.

“Not in that boat you don’t!”Owen contradicts.

“What’s wrong with my boat?” she asks.

“It’s entirely too small,” Owen says. “No we’ll contact Barry. We’ll ask him to get a boat and to link up your people with the people who are asking him to come here.”

“Okay,” says Zach. “Give me a time frame when you can.”

“Will do kiddo,” Owen says. 

“And in the meantime,” Claire says, “How are your studies going? Someone is planning on going to college right?”

Zach groans. 

“Yes,” Gray answers. 

“Who told you that!?” Zach retorts. 

They can all hear Gray grin through the phone. “You have to wait for me.”

Zach groaned again. “Can I leave him Aunt Claire?”

“No,” Clare says but she’s grinning. “Your mother will kill all of us. I rather sometime to brace myself for her wrath when she finds out where you two have gone.” The boys laugh. 

Conversation tepers of and they all sit in silence as the boys just listen to the island. When they finally hihg up Claire sighs and droops.

“Harsh,” Michelle says, voice full of sympathy. “They can’t escape it?”

“No,” Claire says sadly. “I wish but...They’re in this as deep as we are. They call to hear the island as much as to talk to us. If they didn’t I don’t think they’ll last as long as they need to.”

Michelle sighs. “That is tough. I’d hate for any of my nieces or nephews to be here.”

“What about your family?” Owen asks. “Aren’t they worried about you?”

“Haven’t really been in touch with them for a long time. I just emailed them that I had survived the disaster on the park and they just emailed back, ‘thanks for telling us’ and that was it.”

There’s a moment of silence and then Claire shifts. 

“We sleep in shifts here,” she tells Michelle and the other woman nods. 

“I thought as much. Add me to the roster however you want. I’m used to odd hours.”

“I usually take the first shift,” Claire says. “I don’t sleep well if I know i have to wake up for watch.”

“Well stick me in the last shift,” Michelle says, “If it’s not a problem. My nightmares usually hit in the pre-dawn hours.”

“Fine by me,” Owen says. “That’ll keep me awake during my nightmare stretch too.”

“Great!” says Michelle. She stands and stretches and walks over to the apartment she had claimed for her own. 

“We’re on channel 2 for the radios,” Owen reminds her and she holds up a thumb and then disappears out the door. 

Claire sighs and lies down flat on the floor she’d been sitting on.

“What do you think?” she asked. 

“I think it’s gonna be a little strange to have someone else here but it’d certainly help,” Owen replied. “More sleep is always good in these cases.”

“It’s going to be a little rough,” Claire says. “New personalities always are.”

“And we both have experience with working with varying personalities and I bet Michelle has too,” Owen says. “I think we’ll be fine. And by the looks of things, we're definitely going to have to get used to more people. But babe, she’s like us.”

All their bones vibrate with the same roar.

Claire nods. “I know,” she said. She smiles. “Our life on the knife edge of death?”

“I thought you hated my poetry,” Owen teased. 

“I do,” she said grinning up at him. “But regardless, this is our life now. We live in a world that humans shouldn’t, in an ecosystem that has no place for us. We shouldn’t belong here.”

“We do,” Owen said. 

“I know,” Claire replied. She reached out and took his hand. “We’d better make the best of it.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, it's been forever. Hope you all enjoy!

Michelle answers on the first call on the walkie-talkie and is awake far faster than Owen usually is. When Owen and Claire knowns on her door pre-dawn, she’s sitting at her window. 

“Hey,” she said. “Sleep well?”

“Yes,” said Claire. “You?”

“Better than I thought I would,” Michelle said. “Better than I have in  awhile,” she admitted after a pause.

Just then the sun makes its appearance, edging the volcano in red and gold and and slicing little spy holes through the mist. There’s a pause and then a long, tonal cry; Brachiosaurus greeting the dawn. 

More cries break the morning silence, a soft cacophony of bird sound acts as a melody and a later, further, the deep, vibrating roars of an ancient world. 

Michelle stands stock-still, staring out her window. There are tears glistening in her eyes and Owen knows that her bones are vibrating so hard she probably feels like she could fly apart at any moment. This is home now and there probably won’t be any other. 

“Damn,” Michelle breathes softly. “Oh damn.”

Claire laughs a little, soft enough not to break the moment but loud enough to ground their newest neighbour. 

“Yes,” Claire says. “Oh damn.”

Michelle laughs too, and blinks away the tears. “What do you even call this?”

“Brokenness?” Owen suggests. “The kind that doesn’t need to be fixed?”

“Life,” Claire offers, “finding a way.”

“Home,” Michelle says. “The kind that kills you if you leave and kills you if you stay.”

“Home,” Owen says, “The kind of place where you belong.” 

“What does that say about us?” Michelle asks. 

“Eh, we’re screwed,” Owen says. “Morning run?”

“Sure,” said Michelle, “Why not?”

* * *

 

“Hey Barry, “Owen says cheerfully into the phone. They are all currently sitting around Claire’s kitchen island, having just finished breakfast. It turns out that Michelle can cook better better than both Claire and Owen combined. 

“Owen?” Barry’s voice is confused and a little startled. “Owen man?”

“Yeah it’s me,” Owen answers the unspoken question. “Hey I need a favour.”

“What?” Barry’s voice turns cautious. 

“A boat,” Owen says. “I need you to organize a boat and a crew to get some people over here.”

“You’re kidding!” Barry says shocked. “You guys are actually going through with this? It’s crazy! And suicidal!”

“It’s more suicidal if they try to make it on their own,” Owen says. “Look I don’t like it any more than you do but the only thing we can do now is minimise the risk. There’s no eliminating the risks entirely Barry.”

“Owen…” Barry’s voice breaks off and when he speaks again, he’s choked up. “I can’t help you, any of you, to kill yourselves.”

“You’re not doing that,” Owen reassured him. “Relax we most definitely do not want die.” 

“But you are going to place that will kill you,” Barry refuted.

Owen sighed. “I don’t know man. I literally cannot explain this to you.”

Barry sighs. “I know. I remember what you said before. Are you sure they have to come?”

“Yes,” Owen says. “If they want to, then yes.”

Barry sighs again. “Fine. Fine. I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you,” Owen says sincerely. 

“You’re crazy,” Barry repleats but there’s a lightness in his voice. 

“I thought you knew that,” Owen grinned

“Goodbye Owen,” Barry says pointedly. 

Before he ends the call thought something roars loud and vicious in the background. Owen can hear Barry jump over the phone.

“Merde!” he hisses. “You all are crazy!” 

“Thank you Barry!” Claire speaks up for the first time and then Owen cuts the call.

“Well,” says Michelle, “You got to admit it’s better than having a dog barking the background.”

“I think he would have prefered the dog,” Owen says. “But at least it's less yappy.”

Claire rolls her eyes. “Does anyone want more coffee or can I snag the last bit?”

Owen holds up his hand in surrender and Michelle snickers and pushes the remaining coffee over to Claire. 

“So,” says Michelle when Claire is savouring her coffee. “What’s the plans for today?”

* * *

  
  


Two more people show on Zach’s thread. One is over eighteen, the other is sixteen. Zach starts looking at flight routes to get them to Costa Rica and places for them to stay until they get a boat.

“How much more?” Grey asks.

“Two,” zach says, “Although, only one gets to go.”

“Shouldn’t we do something though?” Grey asks.

“We are doing something,” Zach replies frowning. 

“No, I mean for those you can’t go, like me and you,” Grey elaborates. 

“What can we do?” Zach asks him, shoulders hunching. 

“I don’t know,” said Grey, “Maybe like talk to each other? If we’re all going to live on the same island shouldn’t we get to know each other? And, maybe we should learn about dinosaurs too. We can ask Owen and Claire to give us updates on the species as they are now.” Grey was practically bouncing on his feet now. 

“We could broadcast the phone call,” Zach says eyes lighting up. 

“What?” asked Grey. 

“The island, the sounds that Aunt Claire and Owen lets us listen to, we could broadcast it for others who can’t go just yet. It helps us. Maybe, maybe it’d help them.”

Grey thought for a moment and then nodded. “Yeah, yeah I think that’d be great. We could start now though. Ask the four of them if they want to listen in.”

“We should ask Aunt Claire though,” Zach says in an attack of conscience. “In case there’s a reason we shouldn’t.”

“Alright,” Grey nods. He leans on Zach’s computer chair and they contemplate the glaring screen. 

“Sometimes,” Grey says softly, “When I see white things out of the corner of my eyes I jump.”

“Me too,” Zach says. 

“It won’t get better will it?”

“The jumping thing? Maybe. The island thing….no.”

“I don’t mind so much,” Grey says. “But that scares me.”

“Hey,” Zach puts an arm around his younger brother. “We’re together in this okay? We’ll always be together in this. Whether we’re here or on the island, or a whole different planet. We’ll be together.”

“I know,” said Grey but he clings back to his brother. “Is it bad that I’m glad you’re here? That you’re like me?”

“What?!” Zach half laughs. “No. Don’t be stupid Grey. I would never want you be alone. And even if I wasn’t, I would be going to that island with you.”

“But…!”

“Nope,” Zach says. “Not going to leave you alone. And I know you wouldn’t let me go alone either.”Grey gives a watery laugh and hugs Zach tightly before letting go and swooping at his eyes. 

There's a roar in both of their bones and it’s never going away. 

  
  



	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really short but I haven't updated in a while so I'm putting this up. Hope you guys don't mind.

 

Owen, Claire and Michelle spend the morning shifting some of Michelle’s supplies to the storage area with the rest of the food and then trying to work out a feasible spot for their future garden. It’s not easy. They’ve got to have a spot that’s close by, easily accessible to water and easily protected from any roaming dinosaurs that might either eat the new plants or stomp on them.

There is greenhouse but Claire and Owen haven’t cleared it as safe yet and at any rate, they intend this project to be long term. The green house might not be large enough for the community they have to support.

They do manage to pick out a couple of spots on the map to check out later. The greenhouse is also on their list of plans because as Michelle points out, it would definitely be of use in hatching seedlings and growing the more delicate plants and herbs. Owen thinks he needs some books on farming and a decent internet connection. He wonders if myfi would work here.

 

* * *

 

They have lunch on the top of control center looking out over the park. Claire is leaning into Owen as she munches on her sandwich. Michelle is sitting across from them, knees bent, eyeing the green forest as she chews. Owen himself can’t tear himself away from the view.

The forest that lives in his nightmares is spread out before him and rising out of it like the bones of behemoths are the jagged ruins of the park. Echoing calls of a world long past flood over them on the salty air of the sea breeze. Mixed in with the salt is the musky scent of reptiles and acrid tang of dinosaur droppings. A heavier, thicker, cloying scent comes from the few mammal they have or the animals with feathers. There is a twist of green from the forest itself, threading through everything.

The scent is uniquely the island’s. It is the scent of a world that lived and died and is now living again. Like the first time this world existed on earth, humans do not belong here. Yet, they do. They’re here, against all odds, against all reason, against all hope or logic. There is a roar in their bones and it won’t go away. The scent of Owen’s own drying sweat fits in far too perfectly with the beautiful and ugly musk of this island they live on.

He doesn’t hope, because he’s at home.

The t-rex roars and Claire stiffens until she’s like an iron rod buried into his side. Michelle’s breath hitches and her hands clench involuntarily, squashing the remaining bit of her sandwich. Owen’s own heart is rabbiting in his chest and fear is crawling up is spine in a slow, sinuous motion, his jaw clenching so hard it hurts.

It takes a long time, too long for them to relax again and when they do, Owen feels like he’s missing something.

There is a roar in their bones and a forest in their eyes and they aren’t going to go away.

 

* * *

 

Zach and Gray end up recording their phone calls and streaming the sounds on an invitation-only blog. The word spreads far faster than any of them expects. At first it's just those from the thread that Zach posted up but then Michelle gives the blogs name to a couple of ex-acu persons who were now starting to realise that this thing that was happening, the way they are now, wasn't going to ever fade. Claire and Owen give the blogs address to Barry to pass on to those people who've been trying to get on to the island and it tides them over until they can get a boat.

And soon before Zach and Gray actually know what's happening, they're moderating a blog full of people like them.

It's a terrifying responsibility because it's more than just a blog, it more than just providing comfort to others like them. It's the start of a network, it's the start of a team, it's the start of a community, the first blocks of the one that Owen and Claire will build one the island. It's the start of a family that's connected by the roar in their bones rather than the blood in their veins. It's the start of a home.

They can't live without the island, can't live if nightmares don't shred their psyche at night and fear isn't etched into their skeletons, and there's no forest tattooed behind their eyelids.

Zach and Gray, they're giving the others like them a taste of that, they're giving them a fighting chance to survive until they get to island itself.

There's a roar in their bones and it’s not going away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think! I love to hear from you guys.

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment guys. I'm all kinds of antsy about this one.


End file.
